HEAT-TREATED RAILS

There has been a considerable increase in the heat treatment of rails for U.S.A. railways. Apart from controlled cooling, which is applied universally as a protection against the development of transverse fissures, rail-end hardening is extensively practiced, to reduce batter of the rails at the joint. In one specific case mentioned the addition to the basic price for rails control-cooled, end-hardened, chamfered at the extreme ends on the running surface, and drilled for fishbolts, was about 59 percent. It was considered advantageous to use heat-treated rails in switch and crossing work. For trackwork subject to exceptionally heavy wear an alloy steel, such as chrome-vanadium is preferable, though this is more costly than heat-treated rail. The disadvantage of such alloys is that it is impractical to weld them by the oxyacetylene method, so that on site repairs by welding are ruled out.

• Corporate Authors:

  Temple Press Limited

  161-166 Fleet Street
  Longon EC4,   England 
• Publication Date: 1958-11-14

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 589-590
• Serial:
  • RAILWAY GAZETTE
  • Volume: 109

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cracking; Crossovers; Defects; Failure; Metal heating; Rail joints; Railroad rails; Technology; Welding
• Uncontrolled Terms: Heat treatment; Switches
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Old TRIS Terms: End breaks; Fissures (Rails); Rail failure; Rail welding
• Subject Areas: Construction; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00037660
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 8 1994 12:00AM